Wire-line spooler



R B. ROBISON.

WIRE LINE SPQOLER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28. 1919.

mwws, v ntedAug- 3,1920,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. B, ROBISON. wlgE' LINE SPOOLER. hPPLlCATION FILED MAR. 2 1.919.

1,348,44; Pat nted Aug 3, 192%; v

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Rama

PatentedAug. 3, W20,

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

R. B. ROBISON.

WIRE LINE SPOOLEK APPLICATION FILED MAR; 28, 1919. LS%A%,

unrr' WIRE-Linn sroorinn.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

iPatented Aug. a, mac.

Application filed March 28, 1919. Serial No. 285,800.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT B. RoBIsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Caddo, in the county of Stephens and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in NVire-Line Spoolers; andT do hereby declare the following to be a full, 'clear, andexactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

This invention relates to spoolers, and more particularly to 'a' spoolerspecially adapted for winding or spooling a wire line or cable such asis commonly used in connection with oil well boring operations.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a spoolingmechanism by means of which the Wire line may be readily wound onto aspool, the spool and associated parts being then locked tightly againstreverse movement, and the loose end of the line being secured, so as toeffectually prevent unwinding of the line.

A further object is to provide a-spooler including a connecting andwinding block which is connected to a winding shaft so as to be capableof independent vertical adustment, which secures uniformity in spooling.

A further object is to provide simple and efficient means whereby, whenthe spooling operation is complete, the connecting and winding block maybe locked to the winding shaft so as to prevent relative movementbetween these two members.

Further objects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 isa side view of' a spooler con structed in accordance with myinvention in set up position, as used.

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an inside plan view of onesection of the connecting andwinding block.

Fig. .4 is a central longitudinal section.v through the connecting andwinding block and associated parts.

Fig. 5 is a detail front view of the connecting head of the windinshaft.

Fig. 6 is a side view of t e spooler with the crank and, at their lowerapproximately block removed showing the wide spool and all parts of thespooler in locked position.

Fig. 7 Fig. 6. The winding shaft designated generally by 1 is adapted tobe rotated from the main is a section taken on line7--7 of drive wheelof a rig' such as is commonly employed in oil well drilling operations.This winding shaft comprises an inner section 2 and an outer section 3the inner end of which is threaded and is screwed into a correspondingsocket or recess formed in the outer endof section 2. The inner end portion of inner section 2 of the shaft is of circular cross .section andis threaded to receive a locking nut 4 screwed thereon, this nut beingpositioned adjacent the inner end of a bearing sleeve 5 which fitssnugly upon the intermediate squared portion 2 of section 2. This sleeveis provided with a can tral outer annular shoulder or rib f substantialV-shape in cross section which fits into a corresponding groove formedin the head 7 of a supporting jack designated generally by 8, and in thecap plate 9 which is bolted on the upper face of head 7 and cooperatestherewith to rotatably support and secure the bearing sleeve. The jackmay by of any suitable or preferred construction and is utilized torotatably support the sleeve and the parts associated therewith.

This jack is braced by suitable rods 9 and turnbuckles 9 interposedtherein,.the rods being secured at their upper ends to cap 9 ends, tothe walk A. of the drilling outfit. Tn this manner, the winding shaftand associated parts are rotatably supported and, when desired, byremoving the cap plate 9, these members may be removed from the ack andplaced in any suitable position.

An inner clamping plate 10 is mounted on the intermediate squaredportion 2 of inner section 2v of the shaft, this plate being providedwith a central aperture corresponding squared portion 2, the plate beingslidable on the shaft while secured against independent rotationthereon. This plate 10 is to the cross section of the adapted tocooperate with a similar plate 11 which fits tightly upon an enlargedannular shoulder 12 provided at the outer end of squared portion 2outward movement of this plate 11 being positively limited by an annularshoulder 13 formed at the outer end of shoulder 12. to clamp a spool 2mounted upon the shaft between plates 10 and 11. r

Outer section 3 of the spooling or winding shaft is provided, at. itsouter end. with a substantially spherical head H which fits loosely intoa corresponding socket 15 formed in the inner member 16 of block 16.This member 16 is of substantial rectangular cross section and iscomposed of two sections 17 and 18 which are detachably secured togetherby scrcwbolts 1!), or in any other suitable manner. This inner endportion of block 16 is provided with a rectangular recess 26 whichsnugly receives the body portion 21 of a centering block 2:. having aperipheral flange 23 provided with spaced openings which receive machinescrews 21 by means of which this block may be secured to the. inner endof the connecting and spooling blocle. As will be ;noted more clearlyfrom Figs. 2 and 5, section 3 fits loosely through an enlargedsubstantially frusto-conieal opening 25 provided through the centeringblock 22, and the head 14 is provided with four diametrically oppositeradially projecting pins 26 which fit into grooves 27 communicatingdirectly with the socket 15 and extending longitudinally thereof. Thesegrooves receive the pins so as to produce a loose connection whereby anappreciable amount of looseness or play is permitted between the head 14and the block 16. This permits the spooling shaft, and the spool carriedthereby to be adjusted vertically by means of the ack during rotation ofthe shaft so as to secure uniform spooling of the line.

Inner member 16 of block 16 is further provided. at its outer end, witha central reduced neck 28 which fits snugly into a corresponding boreextending axially of outer block member 16*. This bore communicates witha recess 29 extending from one side of member 16", this recesspermitting ready access to a securing nut 29 screwed upon the reducedend 30 of neck 28 and cooperating therewith to hold the blocks tightlytogether. A lock pin 31 is inserted through block member 16 and engagesinto a recess 28 provided in neck 28 for this purpose, this pin beingnormally locked in position by a set screw 32. In this manner the blockmembers are secured together for simultaneous rotation, and bywithdrawing the locking pin 31 the inner member 16 and the spoolingshaft and the parts associatedtherewith may be rotated independently ofmember 16 for unspooling the wire in a manner to be later described.

The outer end portion of block member 16 is reduced and tapered toprovide an outwardly tapering substantially frustoconical stem 33 whichis threaded, this stem being adapted to be screwed into a correspondingsocket or opening 34 provided adjacent the lower end of a crank block35. This crank block is provided adjacent its outer end with an opening36 for receiving the upper end of a brace rod 37 in which is interposeda turnbuckle 38, the lower end of this rod being secured through asimilar opening 35) provided through the upper end of plate 11, forrigidly connecting block 16 and the spooling shaft when lowering thespooler. A pin 40 is secured through block 35 beyond the opening 34 andis provided, on its inner end, with a thickened head 11. A pin 42 issecured through the block inside of pin 10 and is prox'ided with a head43 of less thickness than the head of pin 40. These pins 1 provide meansfor detachably securing block to a crank arm 14 secured on one end ofthe main drive shaft of the rig, this'shaft being rotated from theengine in the well known manner.

A centering head 1:") of frusto-conical shape is loosely mounted on theouter section 3 of the spooling shaft for movement. toward and away fromthe centering block. This head is secured in adjustment by a set screw46 and when moved into its outermost position engages snugly into theopening or socket 25 of this block so as to secure I the same, and theblock 16, in properly centered position relative to outer section 3 ofthe spooling shaft.

In practice, the winding shaft 1 is con nected, by means of block andpins 10 and 42, to the drive shaft of the rig so as to be rotatedthereby when the engine is drlven in normal or operating direction, thespool being disposed at right angles to the plane of the line to bespooled, as in Fig. 1. The cable or wire to be spooled, which is woundupon the shaft of bull wheel 47, is led upwardly beneath the water tableof the tower B, passed over the crown pulley C, and then downwardly tothe spool, thefree end of the line being then secured to thespool uponwhich it is to be wrapped or Wound. Vhen the spooling shaft is rotated,the line is drawn from the bull wheel shaft and wound upon the spool.When the line has been completely wound upon the spool, the free end ofthe line is secured thereto and the centering head is forced into theopening 25 of the centering block 22 so as to center block 16 relativeto shaft section 3. In this connection, it is to be noted that the head14: at the ,outer end. of this shaft section is of greater diameter thanthe inner end of the opening 25 so as not to be drawntherethrough duringthe centering operation. The block 16 may thus be readily secured incentered relation to the shaft section 3 and all looseness or playbetween this shaft section and the block prevented. The various cured soas to eliminate, all possibility of unwinding thereof; When the wire hasthus been secured, pin 42is removed and crank arm 44 block 35 turneddownwardly about pin 40, being turned downwardly and the spooler beingthen lowered by means of the jack so as'to be supported upon the walk Aby this block and 42 of this crank block may also be utilized inlowering the freeend of the spooler so as to prevent injury ordistortion thereof. In the event that it becomes necessary to replacethe bull wheel shaft before the drilling is completed, the line isspooled in the manner above described, the bull wheel shaft replaced,and the line is then woundfrom the spool back onto the shaft. For thispurpose, block member 16'is disconnected from member 16 by withdrawingthe locking pln,

thus permitting free rotation of the spool and the spooling shaft in themanner previously described. 7

It will be evident that there may be slight changes-made in theconstruction and arrangement of the details of my invention withoutdepartin from the field and scope of the same, and I intend, to includeall such variations,' as fall within the scope of the appended claims,in .this application in which a preferred form-only of my invention isdisclosed. a a

'What I claim is:

1. In spooling means, spool carried thereby, comprising an inner memberand an outer member, inner member and said shaft, means for securingsaid blockmembers together adapta rotatable shaft, a

' ed to permit independent rotation of the inner member, means saldinner member to and the jack. I The pins 40 vertical adjustment of saidslpool shaft when the rig is 4;. i

a connecting block universal connections between said for normallylocking the outer. block member, and means carried by theouter blockmember for securing the same to the drive shaft of a well rig forrotation therewith.

2. In spooling means, a rotatable shaft provided at its outer'end with asubstantially cylindrical head having diametrically opposite radiallyprojecting ears, a connecting block provided'with a socket looselyrecelving the head of the outer section of said shaft and havingdiametrically opposite grooves loosely receiving the ears of said head,a centering block secured in the inner end of said connecting block andprovided with an opening of greater diameter than the outer section ofthe shaft so as to permit the shaft, and means for centering said blockrelative to the shaft and for securing the shaft and block againstrelative movement.

3. In spooling means, a rotatable spool shaft, connecting blocks, auniversal joint structure connecting said blocks with one to the outerend of said connecting block and adapted to be secured to a crank arm ofthe drive shaft of a well rig for rotating spooling device includin arotatable shaft, a cennecting block, a un versal joint structureconnecting said block with one end of said shaft, a centering blocksecured to said connecting block about the; shaft and provided with anopening of greater diameter than the shaft so as to permit verticaladjustment of the shaft, and means for centering said for securing tivemovement block relative to the shaft and the shaft and lock againstrelaend-of said shaft, and a crank block secured operated. J

In testimon whereof I afiix my signature I in presence 0 two witnesses.

7 ROBERT B. ROBISON.

, Witnesses:

- A, O. ANDERSON,

DAVID m-

